Threat to minister: Give Rs 20 lakh or face bomb

DAVANGERE: The family members of Excise Minister Renukacharya have received a letter threatening to plant a bomb at his residences in Honnali and in Bangalore if he fails to hand over  Rs. 20 lakh cash in a bag on October 12.According to family members of Renukacharya, a letter was received on Saturday which said that the minister should give Rs. 20 lakh cash in a bag and which should be placed near a small ditch at the Chowdeshwari temple at Honnali town.The minister was also told that if any information in this regard was leaked to the police or any intelligence sources, the bombs near his houses in Honnali and Bangalore will explode, family sources said.The threat letter was posted from Sorab in Shimoga district. Excise Minister Renukacharya was on a taluk tour and was at a Kunkuva village in Honnali taluk when the letter was received.Superintendent of police Venkatesh said that senior police officers have rushed to the spot and are verifying the details about the letter that has come from Sorab. We are examining the letter content from all sides and checking consequences of who is behind this, he said and added, “I will not comment about any involvement of international agencies in this letter matter.”